The road to BlackRock had always been rough, but now it looked like something had clawed at the earth itself. Burnt patches, broken wagons left behind, bones half-buried in the dirt. A squad of six holy warriors rode through it in silence, their armor catching the late sun.At the front was Captain Roland, broad-shouldered, scar cutting across his jaw. He didn’t speak much, but the others looked at him before making a move.“They said the whole city was drowned in darkness.”“Some say no one survived.”“Then why are we even—”“Quiet,” Roland said without turning his head.The line fell silent again, horses’ hooves crunching over cracked stone.By the time the city’s walls came into sight, the squad slowed. They expected smoke, screams, maybe the stench of rot. Instead, what they saw left them stunned.The gates were standing, People moved around them, carrying tools, stacking broken wood into piles, even laughing in short bursts. Children ran across the street chasing each other, the

The chapel at the northern gate stood as the missionaries’ stronghold. Its whitewashed walls gleamed under torchlight, a stark contrast to BlackRock’s weathered stone. Every evening, the missionaries gathered there, their prayers drifting into the night.Adrian ignored them as best he could. By day, he trained. By night, he patrolled the city.One evening, Maria burst into the cottage, her breath ragged. “Adrian, you need to see this.”She led Adrian, Bella, Nancy, and Elias through the city’s winding streets, past the bustling merchant quarter, to a crumbling wine cellar. Its heavy door hung ajar, lantern light spilling from within. Inside, two white robbed figures hunched over a table strewn with parchment.Maria pressed a finger to her lips, motioning the group closer.The cloaked men’s voices were low but urgent. “…The elders say we stay two more weeks.”“Who’d have thought the plan would fail? Alucard and his so-called messiah were useless,” one muttered, his tone bitter.The oth

Under the cover of night, Adrian and Bella crept toward the Church at the North Gate. Shadows clung to the stone walls as they moved silently, their steps muffled by the soft earth. Inside, the missionaries froze when they learned why Adrian and Bella were there. Fear flashed in their eyes. The holy squad, a small group tasked with protecting the missionaries, barely had time to react. The fight was over in less than two minutes. Adrian’s swift strikes and Bella’s earth-shaping magic overwhelmed the squad’s defenses. Adrian and Bella didn’t give the missionaries a chance to pray or chant their rituals. They moved like a storm, binding 15 missionaries and 5 holy squad members with thick ropes before leading them back to the cottage. At the cottage, one missionary, his face red with anger, spat, “This is blasphemy against the Goddess!” Another added, “If you don’t want us here, just chase us out. No need to tie us up like animals!” Adrian ignored them, but Maria spun around,

Nancy and Adrian moved from district to district, their boots crunching against cobbled streets. The bells of the western district still tolled when Adrian climbed onto the fountain’s edge. His cloak whipped in the wind, and the murmuring crowd fell quiet. “You all saw the so-called vampire god fall,” he said, voice steady but carrying. “And you saw who stood against him.” A fishmonger in the front called back, “Aye—we saw you cleave the beast in two!” His words perhaps exaggerated but still loosened a ripple of cheers. Adrian continued. “We don’t come to boast. We came to warn, we received information that the church will come in a month's time to destroy BlackRock city of Black Rock because we do not believe in their god" Others jeered, tossing scraps of parchment missionary tracts into the mud. Nancy stepped forward, “Even I won’t force you to worship the God that I believe in. Where gods fail,” she said, “we don’t. You do not need faith in heaven, you need faith in eac

The air in BlackRock City crackled with jubilant relief. Though everyone knew the victory was temporary, that the Evernight Moon Goddess Church would inevitably return with greater force, but for now, they celebrated. They had held the line.A grand party spilled through the halls of the central mansion, filled with the very townspeople they had fought to protect. The defenders, now awakened to their own beast-like powers, were the center of attention, eagerly recounting their heroic stands and dazzling new abilities. A wave of awe followed the mention of Adrian, who had so easily granted them such strength. Whispers spread through the crowd, some townsfolk even beginning to wonder if he was a god walking among them in mortal guise.Nancy and Maria mingled gracefully, while Elias and Bella found their own fun, the latter enjoying a strong drink and light conversation. Everyone was eager to offer their thanks and admiration, and a common question lingered on their lips: "Where is Adria